Critical Employee Safety Training Topics for Your Business

As a business owner, you have many responsibilities. One that should never be ignored is maintaining the safety of your employees and customers. In addition to hiring a professional security guard company, employers should invest time and resources into their employee safety training program. A robust training program will not only demonstrate a commitment to protecting your team, but it will give them peace of mind in knowing that they can handle an emergency in the workplace.

Although there may not be a one-size-fits-all employee safety program, there are specific topics that can be valuable for businesses across all industries. In this article, we will explore the essential safety training subjects for your employees. After all, in many cases, your employees are the first line of defense against a threat.

6 Safety Training Topics for Your Employees

Basic First Aid and CPR Training

When a medical emergency occurs, it is critical to act fast. Employees who receive basic first aid and CPR training will be better prepared to assist a fellow employee or customer who is experiencing a medical emergency. Arming your staff with basic first aid skills will give them confidence and knowledge to provide the correct treatment from the start. Training could mean the difference between life and death.

Active Shooter Training

It seems that rarely a month goes by where we do not hear about a shooting happening in public venues across the world. Because of this increasingly more prevalent threat, companies should take active shooter training very seriously. Active shooter training will give your employees the tools to assess and react in mass shooting events. This kind of training has the potential to save many lives.

Workplace Violence Training

Reports indicate that about 2 million American workers are the victims of violence in their workplaces each year. These statistics show that training employees to recognize and manage a disgruntled staff member or customer can dramatically reduce these numbers. Workplace violence training aims to teach your team how to identify potential offenders as well as defend themselves against attack.

Online Security Training 

Would your business be able to function without the Internet? Most likely, the answer is no. The safety of information can be just as important as the physical safety of your employees and customers. Employees should know how to protect personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, login credentials and other valuable data. They should know how to spot and prevent potential cybersecurity threats.   

Fire Safety Training

Does your staff know what to do in the event of a fire? It is critical for businesses of any size to establish emergency protocols for fire events. Fire emergency training may include how to recognize the signs of a fire, understanding evacuation routes and the use of fire extinguishers. Do not assume that your team knows what to do if your business goes up in flames.

Ergonomics Training

When discussing safety issues in the workplace, ergonomics often seems to fall to the bottom of the list. However, ergonomic-related injuries cost companies billions of dollars each year in healthcare costs and sick days. Ergonomic training for your team may vary depending on the nature of your business. In some cases, teams may learn how to bend and lift safely; for others, training may focus on how to properly set up a workspace to reduce the risk of injury.  

How to Decide Which Programs Are Best For Your Company

With such a large number of potential security risks, it can be overwhelming to decide which topics to include in your employee training program. There is no one-size-fits-all approach that will cover the needs of every business. However, as an employer who cares about the safety of your employees and customers, there are some things you can do to determine which training topics will be of most value to your team.

Ask your employees about the safety threats that concern them most. Employees often have a different, and sometimes better, understanding of the issues your staff faces each day. Be prepared to be flexible and accommodate the changes that are bound to occur with technology and society as a whole. Finally, set a security-minded example for your employees. Take safety training seriously and make it a part of the company culture. By doing this, you can get buy-in from your staff at all levels of the organization.

Does your business have a robust employee safety training program? While the list above is not exhaustive, it can give business owners a good starting point for developing the best safety training program possible for their businesses.

If you need help developing the right program for your team, contact an experienced security company to assist you. Expert security professionals can help you identify the unique threats that your business faces and develop a plan to address those issues competently.